“My goal in life has always been to make sure people have access to good fresh food with dignity.”
Dr. Katie Wilson has spent 40 years fighting for school nutrition, stronger food systems, and better outcomes for children nationwide.
A lifelong champion of nutrition, child health, and school food service management, Katie has served as the Executive Director of Newman’s Own Foundation grantee partner Urban School Food Alliance since 2019. Widely recognized as one of the leading experts in school nutrition, she has led the Institute of Child Nutrition, served as USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services during the Obama administration, held leadership roles with the School Nutrition Association, and represented school nutrition on the United Nations Standing Committee on Nutrition. As Katie prepares to retire from an extraordinary career, we’re proud to recognize her as our September Newmanitarian® of the Month!
Christina Chauvenet, Newman’s Own Foundation’s Child Nutrition Officer, shared, “From ushering in a new era of fruits and vegetables in the school cafeteria during her time at USDA to her current role helping the nation’s largest school districts purchase locally sourced and culturally relevant food, Dr. Wilson has worked tirelessly to ensure children have the healthy food they need to learn and thrive at school.”
It all began in the early 1980s in her hometown of Wauwatosa, WI. Katie Wilson, a young student in Food Science and Nutrition, was researching her Master’s Thesis on the quality of school food. “It turned out exactly the same that it is today,” she said. “The school lunch was healthier than home packed lunch.” She then got a job in a brand new position as an Assistant Director of School Nutrition. “I fell in love with school nutrition, and the rest is pretty much history,” she shared.
Photo courtesy of Katie Wilson.
What is your “Recipe for Change”?
Patience + looking at impact on everyone involved + getting their input = finding solutions with a positive outlook.
Things that were unusual in my early days as a school nutrition director—like a farmer selling excess squash to school districts and bringing culinary experts into school kitchens—are now becoming easier to access. It’s been so helpful to bring stakeholders to the table and get direct feedback on how schools, school districts, and producers can work together.
Paul Newman was an actor, race car driver, activist, and a salad dressing philanthropist. In the spirit of Paul Newman, how are you “raising a little hell” in your community?
Urban School Food Alliance took on the national chicken industry to push for a healthier, cleaner labeled chicken in school meals. Chicken is the highest volume protein item consumed throughout the 18 Urban School Food Alliance member districts across the United States. Having such a large quantity of product to work with allowed the greatest opportunity for improvement while also reducing production and purchasing costs. But the perfect chicken product didn’t exist – so we moved into action to create our OWN recipe.
“Boost the Roost” was an exhausting project but it raised the awareness of what is in our food supply and how it can be changed for the better if the general public demands better.
Photo courtesy of Urban School Food Alliance.
“I want people that are living the experience to be a part of the conversation.”
What’s something you wish more people knew about the power of nourishing school meals?
Free school meals are not a welfare program—it is a program that is part of the solution to improving healthcare, food security, and student academic outcomes. ALL students need nourishing meals regardless of their family income. Urban School Food Alliance just appointed a physician, Dr. Manasa Mantravadi, as our first Medical Advisor and launched a new initiative: School Lunch is Healthcare.
What is an insight gained at Urban School Food Alliance that has stuck with you?
The large districts have very unique challenges. I have been humbled by the power of their dedication to find solutions and bring the very best to their students, families, and communities. With the power of these districts working together, they can change the entire system for the better across the country.
How can people support your work?
The Urban School Food Alliance works on a philosophy of impacting sustainable change by supporting the district staff on the front lines of this work.
- Donate to keep this work going
- Download school food resources
- In a district with 50K+ students? Join the Urban School Food Alliance!
Photo courtesy of Urban School Food Alliance.
A 2024 Newman’s Own Foundation Food Justice for Kids Prize recipient, Urban School Food Alliance addresses the unique needs of the nation’s largest school districts and shares best practices, develops procurement standards, and advocates for the wellness of students. For more than a decade, its members have worked to improve food quality, access, and sustainability in school food. Learn more at urbanschoolfoodalliance.org.
“School meals play a critical role in a child’s ability to succeed in the classroom and in the future. The Urban School Food Alliance uses the collective strength of its member districts to ensure that the quality and accessibility of those meals is never diminished.”
